Bullet trains in Texas by 2020? That’s the proposal laid out by the Texas Central Railroad, and it could become a reality if it can come up with $10 billion in private funding. The railway would connect Houston with Fort Worth, Texas and travel at 205 miles per hour, making the trip in less than 90 minutes.

The 260-mile route would link the two metropolitan areas with a convenient, low cost alternative to flying, which the developer notes is more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Using scare tactics might just work — imagine the major metropolitan areas of Texas continuing to grow with the price of fuel. The environmental and financial savings of a high speed rail line would be substantial, especially if powered by the huge wind farms in the west side of the state. Tickets are projected to be 70 percent of what flying costs now.

The route is mostly rural and flat, making the development of a rail line relatively cost effective. The Texas Central Railroad is looking for $10 billion in investment money to make it happen without any government funding. This is notable as every other major transportation sector has government support and the rail line could be part of a much larger network.